Phalanx
by Western Blakehawke
Summary: Freak Nation, Ames thoughts and how he got out of his bind.
1. Default Chapter

18th and 19th Sept 2003

Phalanx

Set the day after "Freak Nation"

Ames' thoughts on the Jam Pony fiasco. And how he got out of his bind.

Chapter 1

Ames rolled over in bed and stifled an involuntary gasp of pain. He opened his eyes and looked at the digital clock on the bedside cabinet. 10:30am. He'd only managed a couple of hours of sleep! Usually this was enough. Familiars only need four hours sleep a day, and can go without sleep for around four days. If necessary they can survive on half an hours nap a day for up to a month. 

Ames grimaced _Six more days of telling myself that pain is a phantom of the mind _He thought sourly. He'd managed to convince his NSA bosses that he was less severely injured, and only needed a few days off! _I couldn't let them see, know how badly I'm injured! Not without exposing my people when I return to work, basically fit and healthy in a weeks time. That was still one of the hardest pieces of acting I've done! 'Fe'nos tol' And I got one of our doctors! Every part of my body is battered and bruised, some of my ribs are cracked, my backs damaged, my nose has a hairline fracture! It'll be a couple of weeks or so before I'm fully healed!_ Ames growls to himself_. _

The Phalanx are our best! The elite! He thought sarcastically._ They'll deal with 452. The Conclave feels they're best suited to the task! IDIOTS! IMBECILES! MORONS!_ He mentally lambasted the Conclave._ At least they didn't mess up my job with the agency, they got a highly placed Familiar to cover for the Phalanx team. Confirming what I told Otto._ Ames thought angrily, each time mentally saying the name Phalanx in an incredibly disgusted and sarcastic tone.

Ames replayed the events that led up to yesterday's debacle, growing more and more irate!

At the train station, waiting on the platform, Ames talks to the older priestess from Ray's initiation test via his cell phone. "You understand that bringing in this team now could compromise my cover at the Agency?

Priestess: "Your Agency position has served us well, Ames, but the Conclave feels that...."

Ames: interrupted. "With all due respect to the Conclave, bringing in outside muscle is not the solution to this problem."

Priestess: "Hardly outside muscle. The Phalanx are the best we have... the elite of our warrior breeding line, the tip of the spear. They come by direct order of the Conclave, so discussion is pointless."

"I bow to the wisdom."He hangs up. as two women and three men get off a train and approach him. Neither the number or gender mix surprised him. Five being the standard number per Phalanx team. Women had always had equal rights in his society, they didn't have to fight for them. The best warriors were always chosen for the Phalanx, gender was never an issue._ Damn! They sent Thula just as I feared they would!_ He thought upon seeing the tall flame haired woman. 

She came forward _"_Fe'nos tol. I'm Thula, team leader." She introduced herself, radiating inner power.

The other members of the Phalanx team nodded an acknowledgement to Ames and took up pseudo casual positions behind Thula.

_"_Fe'nos tol." He replied civilly and managed to stop himself from glaring at her by a supreme effort of will! _Introducing herself! When we've had numerous run-ins since school! Just so she can flaunt her rank! Well this is my operation! I'm in charge! _Ames fumed internally, but remained calm on the outside, not letting them see his true emotions. _No matter what she says, she will not make me loose my temper! I won't give her the satisfaction._ Ames mentally promised himself.

"I've heard a lot about you, Brother White. I'm surprised you couldn't handle one girl on your own." Thula said purposely baiting him.

"Your target's a little more than just a girl." He stated, then stopped himself from rising further to her bait.

"You defend your failure by flattering your enemy?" Thula raised an elegant eyebrow at the notion.

Ames ignored her comment, instead handing her a picture of 452's clone 453, since they had none of the freak herself. "452 is a threat to everything we've worked for throughout the generations. Her death is our highest priority."

"Don't worry, Brother. We'll clean your mess up for you." She said in her irritating monotone voice.

_Brother! I hate that term of address! Especially from Thula and her ilk, It's one of the traditions I wish they'd let us drop! Makes us sound idiotic and inbred! Thankfully my kinship to Thula is distant if not non-existent! _Ames somehow kept his temper through the drive to the Phalanx's temporary quarters. _I hope it's temporary! _he fumed as he showed them their rooms and the fully equipped gymnasium, _They always had to have one, whoever was team leader, Phalanx teams always required a gym. Which is a flaming nuisance on covert missions! _Ames thoughts didn't reach his face, which retained a neutralexpression throughout the tour and watching the Phalanx unload their equipment and run through checks on that and their weapons. As soon as was politic, he made his excuses and left.

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	2. Part 2

18th and 19th Sept 2003

Phalanx

Set the day after "Freak Nation"

Ames' thoughts on the Jam Pony fiasco. And how he got out of his bind.

Chapter 2

Ames calls Thula on his cell phone, he's standing on the street outside of Jam Pony, where a huge crowd is making lots of noise shouting out threats and demands to the authorities regarding the transgenics. Many are holding up signs.

"Yeah." Thula answered from the gym where she and her team had been working out.

"Good news. We found our target." Ames told her._ I bet she was in the gym. _He correctly opined.

"Excellent." She replied patting herself down with a towel.

"The bad news is she's sitting smack in the middle of Seattle P.D., sector cops, my agency people, and every news crew in the city." Ames explained taking in the chaotic and noisy scene around him.

"This complicates things.?" Thula queried

"I think we can get her right under their noses. I need a little bit of time to heat things up. Be ready". Ames stated making sure that his grin didn't appear. Thinking. _It wouldn't do for me to be caught on film grinning whilst at a serious hostage situation. Even if those stupid transgenics have just played right into mine and the Conclave's hands. Don't grin! _He admonished himself.

"Always." Thula hangs up_._

Ames spots Otto and goes over to him, Otto gives him a quick debriefing on what's occurring. Otto points to aNubian police detective wearing a suit and a bullet-proof vest, he's in charge of the situation, and is walking around giving orders to some of the cops. Ames can hear the detective from his position. He's doing an exemplary job of eavesdropping on the cop, whilst paying attention to Otto!

"Where the hell is my phone? A secure line should have been in here ten minutes ago. And get that damn news team behind that barricade! Next camera I see in the street, the guy carrying it goes for a ride." The police detective rants at those around him.

Ames and Otto approach him, badges in hand, they flash them at the police officer.

"Special Agent in Charge Ames White." Ames states flatly, staring the much taller man straight in the eyes and radiating power. 

"Nice badge. Picture looks just like you." The police detective replies, not intimidated by Ames.

"Appreciate you securing the area, Detective. We'll take it from here." Ames says pleasantly, trying to take control of the situation. _Come on moron! I out rank you! Give me control! Now! _He thought, still keeping an utterly neutral expression upon his face.

Detective replies with pure sarcasm "I'm so pleased. Now I won't have to miss my little boy's recital this afternoon._" _He motions to a nearby cop. "Get this idiot out of here."

Ames is furious and some of it slips through his mask. "You're out of your league, Detective. Please ask your men to stand down." _Give me control damn you! _

Detective firmly states "Not until all those hostages are out of there in one piece." To one of his people he asks. "Where's my freakin' phone?"

"You're not dealing with a bunch of thugged-out punks who boost TVs for a living. They're highly-trained, genetically-engineered killing machines." Ames replied getting more annoyed with the idiot human.

"As far as I know, no one's dead yet, and I intend to keep it that way. So I need you and I need your lady friend to situate yourselves behind that barricade so I can do my job." The detctive said. He was not going to intimidated by White.

"You forcing me to go over your head?" Ames said imagining the stubborn cop's neck snapping beneath his hands. _As easy as snapping a dry twig!_ He wistfully thought. 

"Do what you gotta do, Special Agent in Charge White. Just do it someplace else!" The Detective replied exceedingly irate with the agent.

Ames casually opens his cell phone and walks away, talking on the phone as he goes. 

"Where the hell is my phone, damn it?" The Detective roars at his subordinates. While he glares at Ames' retreating back, particularly at the cell phone pressed to the agents ear.

Ames could sense the man glaring at his back, and supressed a grin as he made the call that would give him control of the Jam Pony situation. _And 452's head!_

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	3. Part 3

18th and 19th Sept 2003

Phalanx

Set the day after "Freak Nation"

Ames' thoughts on the Jam Pony fiasco. And how he got out of his bind.

Chapter 3

A short time later a bus belonging to the SEATTLE METRO POLICE arrives

Ames seeing it pull up, looks at Otto "Get our people in position." He orders! _Let's start this game!_

NSA snipers stand ready at the windows of a nearby building, their rifles are aimed through small holes in the window panes. Police snipers take aim from the rooftop. The NSA snipers are wearing earpieces. They will obey only Ames. 

"Wait for my command."Ames speaks into a microphone that is received by the NSA snipers' earpieces. 

Slowly the group from Jam Pony walks outside, led by a lizard man using a human male as a shield . They walk around the front of the bus, headed for its door. 

"Take the shot." Ames orders his snipers. _This'll be fun! The humans triggering the death of the only one who can save them_! Ames thought being careful to hide his glee.

The snipers opened fire, felling a blonde female who was acting as a human shield to 452. _Damn! Missed! _Ames thought in disgust _Inferiors! If you want a job doing, do it yourself! _He griped, as the freaks returned fire and that cop,Clemente,Ameshad heard him tell 452 his name, tried to get the snipers to cease firing. They only did so on Ames' order. _Well that stirred things up nicely! _He thought after giving the order to cease firing and to discreetly leave the area .

The transgenics and humans hurry back inside the Jam Pony building, carrying the fallen female. As Ames and Otto approach Clemente again. 

"You fed son of a bitch! You get off my scene right now, or I swear I will kick you to the curb myself." Clemente all but yelled, he was so mad.

"Seems your snipers got a little carried away." Ames drolly replied, enjoying the other mans anger.

"Those were _your_ men back there, and we both know it."Clemente responded archly.

"Is that what we know? See, I don't know that at all, but what I do know is that this was just faxed in from the governor's office." Ames smirking, hands him a piece of paper.

"So you got friends in high places. I'm supposed to be impressed?" Clemente asked still incredibly peeved.

"I draw your attention to the part where I'm given overriding jurisdiction. You screwed up, Lieutenant." Ames was really enjoying this. _The perfect appetiser to killing 452_! He gloated.

"Yeah, when I voted for this nimrod." Clemente crumples the paper.

"Now my tactical team is going to go in and we're going to get this thing done, and you are going to stay out of my way. But thanks for coming out." Ames told him, then he and Otto walked away.

"Damn it."Clemente said to no one in particular and got into his car, but he refused to leave.

Ames had seen that the lieutenant had not left, but was content to let the matter go, since he was now unequivocally in charge.

Night, a van pulls up. The Phalanx get out, dressed in black combat gear, and approach Ames. Their movements are sleek, controlled, their progress stealthy. This is not contrived by them or thought about, they just naturally move without sound. Ames has learnt to make noise as part of his cover, though he has the same ability for stealth as the others.

"Clemente, this is White. I'm inserting my team now. Remember, zero interference." Ames spoke into his radio.

"It's your world."Clemente responded via his radio.

_Not yet! But it soon will be!_ Ames contentedly thought. _We just have to terminate the freaks and wait for The Coming!_

"What is this? Who are these people?" Otto asked totally perplexed at the sudden unexpected appearance of five strangers in a supposedly secure area. Particularly since they were dressed in combat gear.

"They're on loan from another agency." Ames replied _Don't ask me anymore questions, I don't need the hassle of breaking a new second! _

"What agency? I don't understand what's going on here, sir." Otto replied in confusion.

"Let's keep it that way. You're not cleared for this op. Now move the men back and secure the perimeter." Ames ordered.

Otto hesitates. 

"Walk away. Do it now."Ames ordered _C'mon Otto! Obey! Don't grow a backbone now! Walk away!_

Otto at last follows his usual pattern and obeys, walking away. Ames turns and speaks to Thula.

"Look at them." He says indicating the crowd. "When we carry her out in a body bag, they'll be clapping and cheering. They'll never know that she was their only hope."

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	4. Part 4

18th and 19th Sept 2003

Phalanx

Set the day after "Freak Nation"

Ames' thoughts on the Jam Pony fiasco. And how he got out of his bind.

Chapter 4

Ames and Thula lead, as the Phalanx walks toward the building.

"Remember, our primary target is 452." Ames reminds them.

"What about the hostages?" Thula asks. 

"Let's show the viewers at home what the mutant menace does to innocent people. Take out the hostages, the freaks, the kid...take out anything with a pulse." Ames instructs the Phalanx. _It'll make my job easier, if the humans continue to do the killing! _

Thula nods, completely unconcerned with Ames' answer. Humans and freaks are something to be used and killed. She and three members of her Phalanx team begin climbing the outer wall of the building. They soon scale it and reach the roof. The four Phalanx enter from the ceiling, via a hatch that once was a skylight. They lower themselves on ropes. Guns drawn, they start searching. Just as they had worked out with Ames via phone and fax, after he obtained the police's blueprints of the building. Following the plan, one of the Phalanx opens a side door and lets his team mate and Ames in, all six continue to search.

The Familiars hear muffled moans and slowly head toward the noise, which is coming from behind a glass partition. The lizard , 452, and 494, were hiding upon the ceiling, they drop down, and start fighting the Phalanx. 452 fights Thula, 494 starts fighting Anna and the lizard is squaring off with John! The fourth Phalanx Ruben is taken by surprise by the dog man, he's growling and snarling, and they begin to fight. Olivier the fifth Phalanx member is standing near the glass partition behind which Logan Cale is hiding. Cale stands up and fires at him through the glass. The Phalanx falls to the ground. Cale runs out of ammunition and starts to reload.

Ames is watching this as he gets into position to shoot. _Thats it Phalanx! Keep 'em busy and I'll pick 'em off one by one.. 452 first, then 494...._ Lizard freak suddenly turns having defeated John and fires at Ames, who ducks, and while the lizard man continues to shoot, John recovering quickly, grabs him frombehind and forcibly shoves him into a shelf.

Anna shoves 494 through a glass partition_._ Dog man bashes Ruben's head into a wall and then a column, then effortlessly throws him across the room. Anna and 494 are still fighting. Thula loses her helmet. She and 452 circle each other, 452 kicks Thula's gun away.

"452." Thula said, it was almost a hiss.

"Just bring it." 452 replied

Thula and 452 begin to fight in ernest.

Damn it! I can't get a clear shot at any of them! Ames fumed then was distracted as the lizard knocked out John and came after him again. They start to fight.Ames is still aware of what is happening to the other Familiars.

452 lands several blows on Thula. Thula kicks 452 to the floor and then throws her through a glass partition. Thula jumps from a desk and wraps her legs around 452's neck, they both fall to the ground. While Cale is reloading, Olivier rises from the ground and pulls him through the glass partition. Dog man knocks out Ruben and heads for Ames and the lizard.

_Oh shit! _Ames thinks as he realises who the freak coming at him is.

Olivier punches Cale and throws him through the glass again. Thula shoves 452 headfirst through another glass partition. Oliveir punches Cale several times. before the dog man grabs him and hurls him across the room. Thula swings a chair at 452 who ducks, the chair smashes into a partition, it breaks, shattering glass over those hiding behind the desk.

Ames kicks the lizard. Then hears....

Male voice: "Okay, it's time to push now. Come on. Push push push push push, with all your might, all your might, all your might..."

452 and Thula continue to fight. Both completely engrossed in the combat.

Male voice: "All right, it's coming. It's coming."

Thula backflips onto 452 and knocks her to the floor.

Ames knocks the lizard down with a large, metal milk can and begins kicking him. Forgetting about the dog man in his joy at having defeated the lizard transgenic and at having at it at his mercy. _Mercy Ha! I ain't got any! _Ames laughs to himself, and so engrossed is he, that he is taken unaware when, dog man suddenly grabs him from behind and shoves him up against a wall. Dog man is about to strike Ames, but stops when he recognises him and realises he is facing the blind girl's killer. He roars with rage, bashes Ames against the wall, and then slams him into a shelf.

Anna swings a mannequin at 494. He ducks, they continue to fight, slamming through a glass partition in the process.

Male voice: "Okay, the baby's coming out. I can see the head. Now you really gotta bear down, now. Really bear down. Time to push now."

452 and Thula keep fighting. Anna kicks 494 in the head, he falls to the ground. As she is about to hit him with a mannequin leg, Cale comes over and kicks her hard. Thanks to his exoskeleton, she goes flying across the room, and lands next to the woman in labour. 

Male voice: "Bear down hard, now, honey. Bear down hard." The woman in labour punches out Anna_._ "That's it. Good."

Dog freak breaks a desk over Ames. Ames sees, a Nubian woman and a white boy sitting on Anna while theyhandcuff her_, _as he staggers from the impact of the desk.

Male voice: "Go! Push push push push push push push push push!" 

Ames hears the baby cry.... Dog man's beating is getting to him, he's becoming less aware of the goings on around him. His main thoughts center on his survival. He doesn't care about the survival of the Phalanx.

Thula leans over 452, punching her repeatedly. 452 sneaks some handcuffs out of Thula's pocket and gets a cuff around one of Thula's wrists. Thula stands up, pulling 452 with her, and starts to choke her. 452 uses a column to flip over so that she is out of the choke hold and standing behind Thula. She swings Thula by one arm so that Thula ends up wrapped around the column and then handcuffs her other wrist. Thula is now standing with her arms around the column, wrists cuffed together. She struggles, and tries to kick at 452, but doesn't succeed. Thula is unable to break the handcuffs.

Dog man, snarling, throws Ames through a thin wall, then picks him up and throws him again. Ames blacks out for a few moments. Ames regains consciousness and sees that except for Thula, who is still handcuffed around the column post, the Phalanx are now all lying on the floor. Some are unconscious. Cale, 494, and the lizard disarm them and check to make sure the fight is over.

Cale yells at a conscious Phalanx member "Stay down!"

" Max! Clear!" Shouts 494

"Clear!" the lizard man also responds

The dog man, still snarling, bends Ames backwards over his knee. Ames can hears his back cracking. _I'm dead! Father's killed me!_

"Joshua, no. Joshua, no!" 452 yells running over she tries to restrain Joshua. "Joshua, no!"

"He deserves to die! He killed Annie!" The dog man all but howled

"No. He deserves to die, a lot. But if you kill him now, the only thing people will remember about today is how some transgenic killed a human being in cold blood...and then they'll never stop hunting us." 452 reasoned. Not happy about letting White live, but they had no choice.

The dog man takes a moment to consider this, and then drops Ames to the ground. He plants his foot on Ames' neck to restrain him, and 452 leans in close to speak to Ames.

"Bring around your muscle queens anytime. I'll be happy to kick their ass." She told him

"We are not finished." Ames ground out, from his dislocated jaw, glaring at her. _Why'd she let me go! Sure it'd look bad, but leaving me alive is just plain dumb!_...._She should've let him kill me! _Ames started to tell her so....._What the hell am I thinking! _He thought and quickly closed his slightly open mouth! Biting down on his planned retort!

"_Fe'nos tol_, bitch." Was 452's reply as she flicked him on the nose and then goes over to join the new mother and the others. 

Ames makes a mental note that the mother is an X5. _Damn the freak brat doesn't have a barcode! _The transgenic filth strip him and the Phalanx of all but their underwear and use packaging tape to bind them around a column and to gag them. _When I get out of here you freaks and your human allies are going to beg me to kill you! You'll be in so much pain! _Ames continued to fume as 494, and two other humans, dressed as Phalanx make their escape with the trasgenics, whilst pretending to have them under arrest. He could hear every word Cale uttered! Using His name to get what he wanted. _He loves 452! I'll kill her slowly and make him watch! She'll regret making the dog freak release me! I'll make them tell me where the hell my son is!_

"Weapons down! Hold your fire! Team coming out!" Cale yells, as he opens the door all the way and walks out. "Let's go. Federal agents! Step back!" Cale ordered as he leads the trangenics and humans through the cops, towards the Phalanx van and an ambulance parked nearby. "I need you back. Move! Move! We may have a biohazard here, people. Make a hole. Make a hole. Move! Move! Let's go." To Clemente. "Agent White wants your people in there to secure the crime scene ASAP. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go, let's go!_"_ 452, Dog man, and Lizard man are led into the back of the van. The boy, new mother,and the baby are led into the back of the ambulance.

(Ames added what Otto had told him to what he knew from Logan's words.) 

"We're going to need to commandeer this ambulance." (To Clemente) "Agent White is not a man who likes to be kept waiting, Detective." Cale warned.

Ames hearing that true comment again started struggling to be free, it was no good, the transgenics hadn't taken any chances with the bonds. _Dismemberment! Dissection! Vivisection!....._

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	5. Part 5

18th and 19th Sept 2003

Phalanx

Set the day after "Freak Nation"

Ames' thoughts on the Jam Pony fiasco. And how he got out of his bind.

Chapter 5

Clemente and his men enter Jam Pony, guns drawn. They see the remaining people sitting on a bench, waiting. "Anyone hurt?" Clemente asked

"No, we're okay. But you better go look upstairs." He was told.

Upstairs, Clemente and his men find Ames and the Phalanx.

"Special Agent in Charge White." Clemente laughingly said.

Ames tries to yell at Clemente, but his words are muffled and unintelligible, thanks to the tape_. Get me out of here you moron and quit laughing at me!_

Clemente pretends to understand him. "What? The transgenics taped you up and took your uniform?" Clemente asked intent on winding Ames up.

Ames tries to say something_._ _I'm going to kill you too! _

"No way." Clemente said.

Ames tries to say something. _If you don't get me outta here by the count ......_

"And you want me to go after them? That's a good idea." To his men "Let's go." Clemente says interrupting Ames unintelligible rant.

Ames keeps trying to yell at Clemente as he walks away. _Get_ _back here you bastard and unbind me!_ _I promise I won't hurt you! Your death will be painless! Get back here!_ _Get me_......

Almost five minutes passed before Otto entered the room. He glanced at the scene, taking in the heavily bound and seething forms of his boss and the outside agents he had called in. Those facing him were glaring death! Another one of Ames' team enters.

Ames glared at them. Not bothering to try and speak verbally, he let his eyes communicate for him. 

Otto and the other agent, Dobbs, rushed over, to their boss, sharp, odd looking, knives in their hands. Otto started working on the tape bound around Ames' lower face. Dobbs worked on freeing Ames' right arm.

"It's designed for opening packages" Otto hastily explained to his furious boss, as he carefully cut away the tape that bound Ames' mouth. 

"Strip!" Ames ordered the second, the tape was removed! 

"Sir?" Otto replied in an incredibly startled voice.

"Strip!" Ames repeated even more forcefully, as he continued to glare at his second, in between looking down at what the other agent was laboriously hacking at with his knife. "I need clothes!" He was exceptionally peeved at having to state the obvious to his idiot second. _Should have killed the idiot in the alley! Could have blamed the freaks! _Ames thought, disgusted at himself for his earlier leniency.

The Phalanx, were complaining bitterly through their gags. Ames and Otto completely ignored their enraged mumbles! Dobbs glanced at them, but quickly returned to his task. He manged to free Ames' arm.

Ames' grabbed the man's knife and started to furiously cut at his remaining bonds. _Idiot's to slow! To worried about cutting, stabbing me!_

"Sir..." Otto began hesitantly. As he automatically, unthinkingly, handed Dobbs his knife. 

Dobbs greatfully took it and started to work on the tape binding those on the other side of the column, to be away from the boss' wrath!

"What!" Ames snapped. Shifting his enraged stare, from his task, to glare at the human. He had almost freed himself from the tape, though his skin was unpleasantly covered in incredibly sticky gum. 

"Uh... the clothes.. y..your uh..." Otto stuttered. Trying hopelessly to phrase, diplomatically, the difference in height, without being yelled at, or stabbed. He'd never seen his boss this angry! The man was usually irritable, but controlled! Sure he'd berate you with deadly sarcasm and glare at you. But nothing like what he was now witnessing! This new side to his boss was downright frightening! He was acting mentally unbalanced.

"Spit it out!" Ames yelled, past caring about hiding his emotions. Not caring about anything, but making 452 and her friends pay for this new indignity!

Otto moved back a few paces, then gathering his courage. "The height difference Sir". He said finally, and tensed expecting a blow, as Ames stood up after having removed the final piece of tape!

"Immaterial" Ames replied, having caught Otto's subliminal gesture of tensing for a perceived attack. This made Ames feel more benevolently inclined towards the man. _My height doesn't bother me, hell 5'9" isn't short! That's what he was worried about? Humans! _"I'll tape the legs and arms up. They'll fit fine" Ames, having pretty much regained his mental equilibrium now he was free, assured him. "Now strip!" Ames gave his knife to Anna who was half free from his release. 

Otto hurriedly obeyed and was quickly left in his underwear. Ames quickly donned the shirt and suit, deftly taping them to make a better fit. Anna, was now free and working on freeing Thula. Dobbs had freed John, who was still unconscious, from his fight with the lizard, and was working on Ruben's bonds.

"I'll follow 452. She'll most likely head for Terminal city!" Ames said retrieving his shoes from where the lizard man had thrown them, after he had destroyed Ames shirt and suit. His socks were not in the vicinity and he couldn't waste time hunting for them so he put on Otto's relinquished pair, then slipped on his own shoes. _The government better pay for those clothes, they were expensive! _He thought sourly glancing at the shredded items before leaving the building via the side door by which he had entered. 

__

_This suit feels awful. _Ames thought idly as he walked to his car._ Otto really should buy better! It's definitely not the tape gum_, _quality will out!_ _That's why the humans and freaks are doomed! _Ames reached his car. _Keys! Damn it! That lizard kept my keys! My wallet and my cell! He's boots! Shoes! Belts! Luggage! _Ames fumed as he searched the pockets of Otto's suit for the spare keys. _Got 'em_!

Ames got into his car and picking up the radio, flipped through to the Seattle Police Departments' band, that Clemente was using.

"......ated to Terminal City!" Clemente's voice came over the radio. "We entered but were massively outnumbered, outgunned, 452 allowed us to leave! Repeat the trasgenic leader allowed us to leave! 

Ames angrily shut off the radio. _Damn! I was right! They are congregating there! She's gone to ground in Terminal City! Her and her freaks and freak loving human friends! Maybe now the government will let me order an air strike on that toxic waste dump! Get rid of 452 and the others in one fell swoop! Then take out the remnants of the Sandeman's creations! Senile old fool....! _Ames paused his tirade against he father. _RAY! Damn it! I need 452 to live long enough to tell me where Ray is! Hell!_

Back in the present, Ames thumps a pillow, it flies across the bedroom and smashes into a lamp. _What a total fiasco! A complete debacle! _Ames fumed. _Damn the Conclave! They were so sure their precious Phalanx could capture 452! They ignored all my warnings! Well they believe me now! _Ames suddenly grinned evilly thinking of the video conference with the Conclave after he and the Phalanx had returned to the Phalanx's temporary quarters. _I didn't come out the worst from that arduous debriefing! The Concalve finally did something right! They blamed Thula! They were furious that she allowed 452 to cuff her around that column! With her own cuffs!_ Ames laughed outloud, then groaned as the movement hurt both his cracked ribs and damaged back. Ames eased himself into a comfortable sleepingposition and shut his eyes, relaxing_. Sleeps a great healer!_ He thought, then stifled another laugh as he recalled the look on Thula's arrogant face when the Conclave announced it's verdict on that day's events!_ I was cleared of error! I gave Thula and her team all the requisite data! They failed to heed it! Thula failed to heed it! She's been demoted! Her team disbanded! They're to redo basic Phalanx training! They'll have a tough time getting into other teams! Most especially Thula! I'm not the only Familiar who can't stand her! She even antagonised other Phalanx! _Ames drifted into sleep, a smile on his handsome, bruised face.

The End

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